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Published on Leave a comment on Brightspace Tip #155: Changes in Brightspace

There are two changes in our Brightspace system that you should be aware of and plan for.

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Brightspace Virtual Classroom

Brightspace Virtual Classroom is tool that delivers face-to-face classroom experiences over the internet. Virtual Classroom can be used to schedule live discussions and office hours.

We have the free version of Brightspace Virtual Classroom. Not all features of this tool is available in the free version. Refer to this Brightspace Virtual Classroom features chart to see if this tool meets your needs.

New as of May 8, 2020, limits for the maximum number of participants, session duration, and session recording availability were adjusted. Here is an overview of the new limits, compared to the previous limits.

New limit in Free version
(effective May 8, 2020)		 Previous limit in Free version
Maximum # of participants 50 100
Session recording availability 14 days 4 months
Session duration 60 minutes 90 minutes

Refer to this Brightspace Virtual Classroom Knowledge Base for more information on this web conferencing tool.

Note: Brightspace Virtual Classroom is different from Zoom Web Conferencing. Both tools are available in our Brightspace system. However, we recommend you 1) choose the tool that best meets your needs and 2) you are comfortable with.

Video Notes

Video Notes is a built-in media recording tool in Brightspace that allows instructors and learners to record short videos with a webcam. This makes it easy to personalize the learning experience with short, video-based feedback, comments, or instructions. Video Notes can be added where video attachments are supported and when the HTML Editor’s Insert Stuff option is available. To help ensure all users can learn without barriers, closed captions are automatically created.

To assist institutions during this period of disruptions, self-isolations, and quarantines, D2L increased the maximum video recording limit from 3 minutes to 30 minutes. The video file upload size was increased from 5 MB to 1 GB. This means more face-to-face time for everyone, and more ability to record and share lectures.

The new 30 minute/1GB configuration will remain in place until at least July 1, 2020. D2L will monitor Video Note usage and assess whether the new settings will remain after July 1. If the video length or file size values will be changed after this, it will be communicated via their regular release process. Video playback will not be impacted by the recording limit. Video playback will continue to work after July 1 should D2L decide that changes are required.

For more information on this change to Video Notes, refer to this Enhancing Learner Connection by Increasing Video Note Recording and Upload article in the Brightspace Community.

Want more information?

Brightspace Virtual Classroom
Brightspace Tip #102: Video Notes

View all the Brightspace training recaps
Brightspace Known Issues
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You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image credit: image by geralt from Pixabay

Published on Leave a comment on Brightspace Tip #145: Virtual Class Meetings

african american female with her fingers typing on a computer keyboard

Virtual classrooms and virtual office hours are a great way to keep teaching and learning during a disruption.

Instructors have two options for virtual meetings that are integrated into our Brightspace system. One option is the Brightspace Virtual Classroom and the other option is Zoom Web Conferencing. Instructors should choose whichever tool will meet their needs. To help you choose, I've provided an explanation of these two systems.

Brightspace Virtual Classroom

We have the free version of the Brightspace Virtual Classroom tool. Not all features of this tool is available in the free version. Refer to this Brightspace Virtual Classroom features chart to see if this tool will meet your needs.

IMPORTANT CHANGE TO BRIGHTSPACE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM:
New as of April 2020, limits for the maximum number of participants, session duration, and session recording availability are being adjusted. Here is an overview of the new limits, compared to the previous limits.

New limit in Free version
(in effect April 2020)		 Previous limit in Free version
Maximum # of participants 50 100
Session recording availability 14 days 4 months
Session duration 60 minutes 90 minutes

Refer to this Virtual Classroom Knowledge Base for more information on this web conferencing tool.

Zoom Web Conferencing

Zoom is a web-based video conferencing tool with a local, desktop client and a mobile app that allows users to meet online, with or without video. Zoom users can choose to record sessions, collaborate on projects, and share or annotate on one another's screens, all with one easy-to-use platform. Zoom is integrated into our Brightspace system and is Xavier’s alternative to the Brightspace Virtual Classroom tool.

The Professional Training team at Zoom will be hosting a 45 minute Zoom Meetings for Education Webinar on Monday, March 16th. The webinar starts at 9 am central time. It will focus on the following topics:

  • How to download the Zoom applications and join a Zoom meeting
  • How to schedule a meeting and send out invitations
  • Overview of In-meeting controls and Virtual Classroom tools

You can register for the Zoom Meetings for Education webinar at this link.

Additionally, here’s a list of Zoom resources that you may find helpful:

*NOTE: This document was created by another institution. Steps #1 and #2 are not applicable to our configuration. The information in the remainder of the document is applicable to how Zoom works in our integration.

Want more information?

#KeepTeachingXULA wiki resource
View all the Brightspace training recaps
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image credit: "wocintech (microsoft) - 76" by #WOCinTech Chat is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Published on Leave a comment on Brightspace Tip #13: Virtual Classrooms and Video Assignments Training Recap

keep calm and let's recap

This week’s "Virtual Classrooms and Video Assignments" training focused using YouSeeU for virtual classrooms, virtual office hours, and video assignments in Brightspace.

in case you missed it

In case you missed this week’s training sessions or if you attended one of the training sessions and want to recap what was covered, you can review these resources:

Our Brightspace training continues next week.

Next week's Brightspace Quick Start training sessions are designed to help faculty to get their Brightspace courses up and running quickly. If you did not get a chance to attend any of the Brightspace training sessions, these Quick Start sessions are for you. Please visit our events page for workshop details and to RSVP for upcoming Brightspace training sessions.

Want more information?

View all the Brightspace training recaps
Brightspace Migration FAQs
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.